BIRTHRIGHT
by Kay-nu
Summary: As Halloween approaches Blair will discover an incredible secret about a time traveler. It is non slash but contains some mature non-explict themes and is suggested for more mature teens and adults.
1. Chapter 1

BIRTH RIGHT

This is unpaid fan fiction of the cancelled television show The Sentinel. It is rated GENERAL as non slash but contains some non-explict themes, an alternate universe and contains time travel. Original characters appear where needed in the story. Suggested for more mature teens and adults.

()()()()()()()()()()()

BIRTH RIGHT

CHAPTER ONE

Detective James Ellison glared at the owner of Neon Heaven. The shorter man stood blocking his way into the garishly decorated gay bar. "We have a warrant to search these premises." Jim held out the warrant snarling his words.

"You didn't need a warrant big guy," the younger man tossed his shoulder length curly blond and red dyed hair. Leering up at Jim he struck a suggestive pose. "I'd have given you a guided tour." His white shirt was open to his navel revealing a shaved smooth muscular chest. Skin tight black leather pants revealed every inch of his lower anatomy.

"I could bring you up on charges of soliciting and harassing a police officer." Jim snapped. He had a major throbbing headache. He'd had to dial down his sense of smell when he'd walked into the entrance of the bar. Besides the stench of cigarette smoke mingling with the overly sweet scent of marijuana there was the rancid stench of cooking grease gone bad. Jim stomach twitched unhappy at the stench. Stomach acid burned up the back of Jim's throat as he fought nausea.

Adding to Jim's sensory headache were the multitude of pulsating neon decorations that covered the bar's walls and gave the bar its name. He didn't dare dial down his eyesight. The man in his way represented a real problem and a potential danger. Jim flinched at the sudden warm touch to his lower back.

"Easy, Jim," Blair's voice came soothing through the pounding headache that was causing the world around him to start to fade. "This place is bright and loud." It was Blair's way of telling Jim that he could dial his senses down. Blair was watching over him.

Lights, sounds and smell seemed to settle back into a more normal level. Jim could feel his brother officers moving closer. "Edwin Devon, we have a warrant." He said in a more controlled firm voice, "Step aside."

Devon shot Blair an evil look. "You don't look like much." He curled his upper lip seemingly dismissing Blair as unworthy as he slowly raked his eyes up and down Blair's short muscular body, "You're too straight to keep the big guy happy."

Several of the uniform officers coughed to cover snickers. A dark look from Jim had several officers suddenly finding the neon decorations very interesting.

Blair rolled his eyes. "Man someone needs to open a window." He felt a little uneasy after the way Devon had looked at him.

One of the police officers nodded in agreement saying, "We could get high just standing here." It earned him a sharp elbow from his partner.

"Okay, people let's check it out," Jim barked out. He wanted out of the gay bar as quickly as possible. His skin felt itchy. It took a lot of control not to start scratching his arms. He automatically shoved Blair fully behind him. The protective gesture brought a scowl to Devon's face.

The officer in charge of the police dog came forward. "Come on, Fritz." The yellow Labrador sniffed eagerly searching for drugs. Jim heard the elevated heartbeat at the same moment that Fritz barked and started scratching at the jukebox in the corner of the bar.

"Break it open."

Devon took a daring run towards the door. He was easily stopped by a tall burly officer who flipped him around and slapped handcuffs on his wrist.

"Smooth move, Peterson." Another office called out. "You should try out for the rodeo."

"You don't have to get rough," Devon complained. Jim gave a jerk of his head. Peterson nodded pushing Devon towards the door while reciting the man's rights. The smaller man started protesting and crying.

The officer with a crowbar tore open the jukebox. There were several large white packages at the bottom of the jukebox. A narcotics officer inspected the packages. "Looks like three kilos of coke, Ellison."

Blair and Jim had to step aside as Fritz sniffed in the direction of a large potted plant. Fritz's tail beat the air at a pace signifying that he'd found all the drugs. "Daniels," Jim called out. "We've got another hiding place."

Fritz's handler gave the dog his reward. Fritz eagerly shook the rolled up towel. His tail stirred the foul air happily as he practically pranced with the rolled up towel in his mouth. Playtime was his reward for a job well done.

Standing close to Jim Blair watched as the plastic plant was lifted out of the ceramic pot. Four very large bags of pills were pulled out of the pot. "Man that's a lot of pills."

"It's enough for Devon to go down as dealing in drugs," Jim rubbed his high forehead with his fingertips. A couple of aspirins and a cold cloth over his forehead would improve his day. Jim was satisfied that things were going well enough for him to exit for fresh air. Nervously Blair walked at his side.

Blair got a few smiling nods from the uniformed officers. He wondered briefly if the officers were piecing together his contribution to keeping Jim focused. In a way it pleased him but it also worried him. Jim had gotten really anal about letting anyone know about his Sentinel abilities.

"I can't believe that guy had that much drugs in his bar," Blair tried to distract himself from his worry. He'd process it all later. "Actually I can't believe that anyone would want to go in that bar. I'd have turned that place into the health department based on the stench of the cooking grease."

Jim took a lung full of fresh air before he answered. His eyes quickly adjusted to the brighter light outside the bar. Even his stomach settled grateful to be out of the bar. "We had information that Neon Heaven was doing more drug business than selling booze. As for the fried chicken wings, junkies tend not to care about their food." He watched as a patrol car containing a sobbing Devon was driving away. "Devon isn't the brains of this operation. The real boss of this operation is Clyde Houston. DEA agents will be picking him up when he lands his private jet at the airport."

"I'm going to make a few notes about the cooperation of departments for my dissertation." Blair pulled his notebook out of his jacket pocket. He noted Jim's sudden frown. "I actually am writing a dissertation on The Thin Blue Line." He smiled at the sudden surprised look on Jim's handsome face. "Hey, it sounded so good," he shrugged. "I ran it by Eli. He said if I got in my outline and three chapters by next month he'd approve it. I might get a degree sooner." He grinned happily.

"Uh huh," Jim wondered how this all tied into Blair's Sentinel research. He'd talk later to the kid.

"Taylor, he called out to the vice detective, "make sure a thorough search is made of the backrooms." He added for Blair's benefit. "Our informant said that a string of male prostitutes has been run out of Neon Heaven." Jim rubbed his forehead. "Some of the young men were drugged and forced into what was basically slavery." Jim realized that Taylor being young for a vice officer might need an older experienced officer with him. Jim was going to have to walk a fine line here. The agreement was that Vice would run the investigation into the prostitutes. However no one expected most of the senior staff to be sick with food poisoning. Jim was just to oversee the whole operation. This was going to be a very long day.

Blair recalled with sudden clarity how Devon had sized him up. Suddenly he felt that he wasn't standing close enough to Jim. "Oh," he shivered in the mild October morning. "I didn't need that mental image, Jim." He looked around noting that officers coming out of the bar were taking deep breaths of the cool October air.

Jim realized that he'd frightened his partner as his heart rate accelerated but a car bearing the logo of the local chapter of the Department of Health pulled up. Jim's attention shifted from Blair to the slender petite woman in a conservative looking pantsuit.

A mass of unruly curly dark brown hair softened the business like look on the pretty young woman's face. She held up her credentials to the officer guarding the scene. She smiled when she spotted Jim. A nod from Jim and the officer let her walk over to where Jim and Blair stood.

"Detective Ellison," she greeted him.

"Dr. Gabrielle Curry," Jim frowned. "Do we have a problem that I need to alert the officers inside about?"

Blair cleared his throat loudly. The petite doctor had curves in all the right places. She looked like date material.

Jim glanced at Blair amused at how quickly the younger man could shift from fear to interest in a woman. Blair raised his eyebrows at Jim sending a very clear message with his sparkling eyes.

"Gabby, this is my partner Blair Sandburg. Blair this is Dr. Gabrielle Curry of the Health Department."

"Pleased to meet you," Blair flashed his most charming smile. To his delight her handshake was firm. He felt the ring on her third finger. While maintaining his smile Blair mentally crossed Dr. Curry off as a potential date.

"I'm very surprised to meet you, Blair Sandburg," Dr. Curry gave Jim a surprised look. "I guess I'd better alert my team that hell had indeed frozen over and we should expect the Apocalypse."

Jim rolled his eyes trying to cover his embarrassment as his face flushed. "I know that you didn't come out here to needle me, Gabby."

Blair snorted a laugh. Gabby had Mr. Macho Jim pegged.

"No," the doctor's face became serious again. "We've traced eighteen cases of hepatitis to this bar." She watched with a critical eye as officers came out of the bar. She was pleased that they were all wearing gloves.

"The owners were running a prostitution ring out of the backrooms," Jim pointed out. "We didn't find any of the prostitutes on the premises," he added.

"Contact with feces is generally the way to get hepatitis. Gays run a higher risk of contracting hepatitis than the general public." Gabby noted the drugs being taken out of the bar. "Drug use in another way," she sighed.

Jim signaled one of the uniformed officers to join them. "Tell Taylor to see if there this is a list of pros that worked out of the backroom. Let him know that we'll need to send officers to their residences and inform then that they've been exposed to hepatitis."

The officer blanched. He hurried off to inform the young vice officer. It was the kid's first major bust due the fact that everyone officer in Vice except the kid had attended a luncheon with tainted food. Hell, even the bomb squad was out with food poisoning.

"You're going to share your list of patients too aren't you, Gabby?"

Dr, Curry nodded. "I'll need a copy of that list too." She looked up at Jim. "Ordinarily I'd say no citing patient confidentiality, but three of my patients aren't going to make it past tonight. I need to find everyone who was infected."

"Yeah," Jim nodded. He felt the added weight fall on his broad shoulders. Briefly he wondered if this was how Simon felt as Captain of Major Crimes. Better suck it up, Ellison he told himself. Simon put him in charge of the operation for a reason and it wasn't because most of the captains of the other divisions had to have their stomachs pumped. Well, maybe it was a little of that. Jim squared his shoulders. "Let's hope that we can get everyone who is infected rounded up before they scatter."

Looking a little green Taylor came out of the bar gingerly holding a plastic bag that contained what looked like a ledger. "We found the prostitute list." At the moment he wished that Captain Banks and most of the senior officers in Vice weren't all in the hospital with food poisoning.

"Detective Ellison we also found tapes and what looks like hidden cameras that were set up to record every room." He looked to the legendary senior Major Crimes Detective for guidance. A bit of hero worship reflected in his dark eyes.

"Blackmail," Jim scowled. "This gets better and better." The headache behind his eyes increased.

Dr. Curry tucked a stray curly lock of hair behind an ear. She'd have to alert her own team about the new developments.

"That's an unusual looking bracelet," Bair's eyes were drawn to the silver bracelet on Gabby's wrist. It had an antique look about it. "Looks like you're into wearing Halloween jewelry."

Dr. Curry lightly touched the worn silver bracelet. "It's actually a family heirloom. It's been passed down from eldest daughter to eldest daughter. My three year old Stephanie will wear it when she turns eighteen." She smiled.

It was very late afternoon before Jim could break away from the crime scene. On the drive back to the precinct Jim spotted a Mom and Pop store with a sign advertising pumpkins. Jim grinned, "Pumpkins." He pulled the truck into a parking spot in front of the store.

"It's only the second," Blair pointed out. He got out of the truck following Jim into the small neighborhood grocery store. "If you carve it now it will be mushy come Halloween."

"I'm not looking for a carving pumpkin." Jim said. He walked towards a table that held several dozen looking small perfect pumpkins. "I'm looking for an eating pumpkin. This time of year I always get pumpkins to cook. I bake them in the oven with just the right amount of butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon."

"Wow, Jim," Blair watched as Jim carefully chose two of the orange pumpkins. "Did you know that the Pilgrims roasted pumpkins? At the first Thanksgiving feast the Native Americans cut pumpkins into strips showing the Pilgrims how to roast them."

"Why am I not surprised that you know that, Chief," amused Jim carried the pumpkins of his choice to the counter. "Hi, Mr. Casey," He greeted the elderly man behind the counter.

"Ah, Jimmy," Casey smiled. "It is good to see you again. I always know that my October won't be complete without a visit from my favorite customer."

"This is my partner, Blair Sandburg," Jim introduced Blair to the elderly grocer.

"I'm very pleased to meet any friend of Jimmy's." Casey smiled. "This will be the last year I'll be selling pumpkins." He said.

"You're giving up the store, Mr. Casey?" Jim was surprised. He handed Casey money for his pumpkins. The elderly man ran up the sale on an old fashion push button register. There was a loud sound as the drawer popped open.

"I'm going to Florida where it is sunny most of the time. There is lots of fishing." He smiled. "My grandchildren are excited that I'm finally coming to live in Florida. My son-in-law found me a nice retirement home."

"That sounds great," Jim smiled. "I'll stop off to tell Dad and Steve so that they can come say good-bye."

Blair listened with interest. "Are we going to visit your dad?"

"On the way home, Chief," Jim took that bag with his pumpkins. "Thanks, Mr. Casey. I'll be back in to visit you before you leave."

The elderly man nodded. "Come back any time, Jimmy."

Blair hurried after Jim. "You really mean that about seeing your dad? Does he have Sentinel abilities? How about your brother Steve," Blair asked eagerly.

"Whoa, Chief," Jim laughed. "My old man and my brother are normal." He set the pumpkins in a box in the back of the pickup.

"Is eating pumpkins a family tradition?" Blair pulled out his notebook. He flipped to an empty page. He was adhering to the no filming everything that Jim insisted on.

Jim sorted a laugh. "Why don't I call my old man and wrangle us an invite for dinner. You can learn all about pumpkin eating at dinner."

"All right," Blair grinned happily. "You know, knowing all about your childhood would help me understand your Sentinel abilities."

Sighing softly Jim backed the truck out of the parking spot. "You know, Chief, sometimes things are just normal everyday things."

"With you," Blair started to laugh until he realized that Jim had stopped listening. He frowned trying to choose his words carefully. "It's just that as a Sentinel you are different."

"Yeah, a freak," Jim muttered.

()()()()()()()

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Still unpaid fan fiction. This chapter is rated PG. Enjoy

()()()()()()()()()

BIRTHRIGHT

[Horatio]-

O day and night, but this is wondrously strange.

[Hamlet]-

And therefore as a stranger give it welcome.

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,

Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

[Hamlet Act 1, scene 5, 159-167]

()()()()()()()()()()()()

Chapter Two

"I didn't expect to see you today, Joel." Jim eyed Captain Joel Taggart. Though his eyes looked a little sunken Joel seemed to have shaken off the effects of the food poisoning.

Joel let out a sigh. He gestured to Captain Simon Banks' office. "I'm the least sick of anyone with rank. The Chief of Police asked if I'd take over Major Crimes until Simon was well enough to come in."

"Man," Blair tied his hair into a ponytail using a multi colored hair band. "I heard that the Captain of the north division is in intensive care at Cascade General." His sapphire eyes were full of sympathy for Joel. "How's Simon?"

"He's out of intensive care but his doctor isn't going to release him anytime soon." Joel let out a sigh. "I can thank sticking to my diet for not getting as sick as everyone else." Joel admitted. "I only had a taste of the tainted beef stroganoff. Mostly I ate the cooked vegetables. Simon and most of the other brass had several helpings of the main course. They'd turned the buffet into a macho eating contest." Joel shook his head. "I'm never going to be able to look beef stroganoff in the face again."

Blair snorted at the image Joel had painted.

Jim gave him a look of sympathy. "I'm going to fill out the report." He went back to his desk leaving Joel and Blair talking. Remembering his promise to Blair Jim called his father's house.

"Ellison Residence," Sally's soft voice brought back many childhood memories. The petite Asian woman had been a second mother to him after his parent's divorce.

"Hey, Sally, how's my favorite girl?"

"Jimmy," Sally's delight came over the phone line. "You know this time of year the family expects to hear from you," she gently chided Jim.

"I know," Jim smiled. Except for when he'd been stuck in Peru Jim had always found a way no matter how angry he'd been at his father to make some kind of connection during the Halloween season. "I'm thinking of bringing my partner over for dinner, Sally." His smiled widened at the sound of her delight. "Let me talk to my dad."

"Jimmy," William Ellison's masculine voice filled with warmth as he greeted his eldest son. "I know that you're busy but are you going to make it home for the holiday?"

"Of course, Dad," Jim leaned back in his chair. His light eyes were on Blair. The younger man practically bounced on his feet as he described some Halloween ritual to Joel. "Listen, Dad, you know that police observer I've that I'm paired with?"

"Blair Sandburg," William said confidently. He recalled the young man from the unhappy incident only three months ago. After years of only receiving signed cards from his eldest son the recently almost weekly phone calls had warmed his heart. William savored the reconnection.

Jim pleased that his father had remembered Blair found it easy to bring up the reason he'd called. "I'd like to bring Blair to one of our family dinners."

It was the almost reverent way that Jim spoke of the family dinners that William understood what his son had left unsaid. "Are you sure you want Blair to know? You know that Carolyn didn't take finding out well." William had only once met his ex-daughter-in-law. He'd thought at the time that the woman was all wrong for his Jimmy. Jimmy deserved a special woman.

Jim let out a sigh. "Yeah, well Carolyn and I get along a little better since our divorce." He frowned slightly. Jim picked up a pen. Unconsciously he found himself drawing several pumpkins on a scrap of paper. "Dad, Blair's my partner at work. Police partners share a commitment that is as close as marriage. I'd like him to know."

"I see," William said carefully. He'd gotten his eldest son back in his life. There was something odd about Jimmy and Blair's connection. Then again William was closing in on his seventies. His life was reaching its end. If he lost Jimmy now there might not be another chance to reconnect. "Blair should know." William said firmly. "Tonight we're having Steve and his fiancé over for dinner. Why don't you bring Blair? They could find out at the same time."

"Good idea, Dad," Jim smiled in relief. "I have a lot of paperwork to fill out but since Joel Taggart is taking over I think that I can get out of here by five o'clock."

"Great," William sounded happy. "Sally is planning dinner for around seven." He'd stopped thinking of Sally as a mere servant years ago. Sally was family. William doubted that Jimmy knew that he was godfather to two of Sally's grandchildren.

"That sounds great, Dad." Jim remembered his stop at the small market. "By the way, Dad, Mr. Casey is moving to Florida. This will be his last year in Cascade."

"Steve, Sally, and I will stop by tomorrow to tell him good-bye."

Jim let his father know that he had to get back to work and ended the call with a promise to be at the Ellison mansion by seven o'clock.

With Blair's help the paperwork was finished in time for them to leave the station by five o'clock. "You know just helping me with the paperwork is a major contribution." Jim told Blair.

"I've filled out so much paperwork for college that it's second nature." Blair took off his glasses to rub his tired eyes. He yawned. It had been a long day.

"You still feel up to dinner at my dad's place?" Jim asked cautiously.

"Man, you are so not getting out of explaining the pumpkin thing." Blair grinned. "Once I have a shower I'll be bouncing with energy again."

"I think I'm going to drug test your soap," Jim stood up stretching.

()()()()()()()()()()()()

Thirteen Colonies early 1700's

Lily Chase was much older than the women getting off of the ship. Her light eyes spotted her son-in-law Adam Jones. "Come on, Patience. There's my son-in-law." The young plump girl had been arrested for petty larceny.

Patience had been given a choice. Prison for stealing or go to the colonies. Patience was being sent as an indentured servant to pay off her passage and her fine. In six years when her debt was cleared off Patience Worth would be expected to find a husband among the colonists. She'd had the fortune of meeting the much older Mrs. Lily Chase on board the ship. Thanks to her son-in-law Mrs. Lily had more than a few coins. She'd bought Patience's indentured service. "I'll need help with my daughter Hope's girls."

Adam Jones smiled in relief when he spotted his mother-in-law. Unlike many men Adam was quite fond of his wife's mother. Lily had done a great job raising his beautiful Hope. Adam's smile dimmed a bit. After birthing four girls Hope's currant pregnancy was a difficult one. Adam only prayed that this would be the son that he longed for. He seriously doubted that Hope would be able to get pregnant again.

Lily greeted Adam with a nod. "I have an indentured servant girl, Patience. She will help me with the girls."

A seaman brought Lily's trunk. "Ma'am, we'll be oft loading your goats."

"Goats," Adam looked in amused surprise at Lily. Patience he could understand. After all four girls and a sick pregnant woman in a household meant a lot of work.

"Not all women have enough milk for a strong boy," Lily said firmly.

Slowly Adam nodded. "Of course," some of the worry of the last three years began to slip from his shoulders. Mother Lily Chase would take charge of the household and he could seriously build their fortune.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Cascade

While Blair showered Jim put in a call to Daryl Banks. "Hi Joan," Jim greeted Simon's ex-wife when she answered the phone. Simon and his ex might have a volatile relationship but Joan was friendly enough to Jim.

"Jim," Joan's smile carried across the phone line. "I thought that you'd still be at the station. You did take over for Simon." One of the reasons for the Banks' divorce had been the long hours that Simon put in at work.

"Joel showed up and took charge," Jim said. "I've got a dinner invitation to my dad's tonight."

"So a man in charge can have a life." There was a bitter edge to Joan's voice. She sighed. "I'm sorry, Jim. Simon and I well we had issues."

"You don't need to apologize," Jim said gently. "I know that things happen between a man and a woman. I don't exactly deserve a husband of the year award." Jim thought of his own failed marriage.

"I bet you called to talk to Daryl." Joan said.

"Is he around? I don't want to intrude."

"You're not intruding, Jim. Daryl thinks the world of you." She let out a sigh. "I wish that Simon would listen to him the way you do. Let me get him."

Blair came out of the bathroom a few minutes later as Jim and Daryl were winding up a short conversation.

"You'll do well on your test, Daryl." Jim smiled as he talked. He was proud enough of Simon's son to think of Daryl as a surrogate son. "Call me anytime that you want to talk."

"You're really fond of Simon's son," Blair said once Jim had hung up.

"He's a good kid," Jim smiled. "Why don't we get a move on it? I know that Sally makes the best pot roast in Cascade."

()()()()()()()()

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

BIRTHRIGHT

Living on love, buying on time

Without someone nothing ain't worth a dime

-Alan Jackson

()()()()()()()()()()()

BIRTHRIGHT CHAPTER THREE

Cascade-

Even after the long day that they'd had Jim found that he was relaxing as he drove to his father's house. "My dad is a little on the high society side. Steve is engaged to Dawn Sinclair. The old man is happy that at least one of his sons did the right thing. I'm sure at some point we'll have to have dinner at the Club." There was a slight sound of dread in Jim's voice.

Jim negotiated a turn before the green light changed to red.

Blair grabbed for his seat belt. He released a held breath. He'd heard the pain in Jim's voice. "You know, Jim, you're a Sentinel. You're highest calling is to protect the tribe."

"Sometimes, chief, a man would just like his old man to be proud of who he is," Jim released a sigh.

"Oh," Blair stared straight ahead. Old mixed emotions stirred inside of him. "I grew up not knowing who my dad was. Naomi didn't seem to think that it was important that she knew or that I knew. At least she did her sleeping around with intelligent men." He tried to sound as if it didn't bother him unaware that his voice gave him away.

"For tonight you can share my dad," Jim said. He looked over in sympathy at Blair. William Ellison might not have won father of the year awards but he'd been the parent who stuck around. Blair on the other hand had a flaky mother who didn't seem to understand that a guy needed to know about his father.

"If your dad isn't crazy about having a cop son he's not going to be too thrilled to have a neo hippy anthropologist stepson," Blair snorted.

"I don't know," Jim said lightly. "Dad just might surprise us." He smiled as he pulled up in front of the Ellison mansion.

"I still can't believe that you came from money," Blair undid his seatbelt. The revelation during a murder investigation that Jim came from a family with money had thrown him. Jim acted like one of the regular guys at the station.

"My old man worked a lot of long hours to put us in the upper income bracket. He sacrificed time with his family to put us in that mansion, Chief. I would have been happy with an ordinary house and more time with my dad."

They were greeted at the door by the diminutive Asian housekeeper. "Jimmy," she held out her arms.

"Sally," Jim scooped Sally up in his arms hugging her tightly. He released her as she laughed in delight. "You remember Blair?"

"Of course," Sally smiled at Blair. "You are Mr. Blair Sandburg. You're my Jimmy's partner. It is good to have you over for one of our family dinners."

"It just, Blair," he caught the almost reverent tone Sally used in describing the dinner. He shot a questioning look Jim's way but Jim's light eyes were focused on the woman he considered a mother figure.

"Mr. William and Mr. Steve are showing Dawn the garden. We have many nice pumpkins this year."

Curiosity burned through Blair. "You plant pumpkins?" What was the big deal about pumpkins?

"Mr. William will tell you the story." She herded the two men inside the Ellison mansion.

Blair's eyes darted over the tasteful décor. He'd recognized the original oil paintings the last time he'd been in the mansion. Blair had quietly done a Google search on William Ellison after meeting him the first time.

William 'Shark' Ellison had built a company from the ground up despite two failed marriages. Words like ruthless, no mercy, and 'take no prisoners in a merger' were attached to his reputation. Blair had been amazed that Jim had successfully defied his father to first go into the military and then to become a police officer.

()()()()()()()()

Middleburg 1700's-

Adam's grief filled eyes were on the son that he'd longed so much for. The baby cried hungrily.

"You need to give him a name." Lily Chase said gently. Tears had come and gone. "Hope wanted you to pick a good name for your son."

Adam nodded. "William," he said dully. "It's a good strong name." He raised his eyes to Lily. "My children don't have a mother."

There were many young mothers in the colony cemetery. Childbirth, hard work and disease had taken a deadly toll. Lily was well aware that many women didn't last long in the New World. She was herself closing in on forty. Her practical side rose through her grief. She had to see about her grandchildren's future.

"I'm staying. Patience adores the girls. She'll be sixteen come next January. That's the same age Hope was when you took her as wife. Patience will make a good mother for your daughters. Her hips are wide. She'd have an easier time birthing strong sons."

Grief and angry occupied Adam's insides but he'd heard Lily's words. A family's fortune and future depended on sons. Patience wasn't his beloved Hope but like a good broodmare she'd produce the sons he'd need to build his family's fortune. "I must grief for my beloved Hope," he said at last.

()()()()()()()()()()

Cascade—

Jim and Blair followed Sally out the French patio doors to the backyard. The elder William Ellison and Steve were showing off a small but well tended vegetable garden. There were corn stalks and tomato plants as well as a long row of sugar pumpkins.

It all struck Blair as odd further alerting his curiosity. He would have thought that only flower gardens would be allowed on mansion grounds.

"Jimmy," once tall and straight but now stooped and grey haired William Ellison gave his eldest son a warm greeting.

Blair was stuck again by the visual differences in the Ellison men. "You didn't take after your father." Horrified Blair cringed.

Dawn Sinclair looked politely at the garden. Being an obvious young woman of breeding she ignored Blair's social blunder.

"I know," Jim said in a matter of fact tone of voice. He patted Blair's shoulder. "Hey, Dad, you're looking well." He greeted his father. "Hi, Steve," Jim smiled at his younger brother.

Steve stepped forward with one arm around his fiancé. "Jim, Blair, this is Dawn Sinclair my fiancée." Once everyone was introduced they all went inside.

"Blair, why don't we go up stairs and wash up for dinner," Jim had a firm grip on Blair's shoulder. He gently guided him to the stairs.

About to protest Blair noted the family photographs on the wall. It was clear that Jim wanted him to see them. It was easy enough to pick out Jim in the photographs. Even as an infant Jim clearly looked different from Steve and his father. On the way down to the dining room Blair spotted pictures of Jim and his mother. There was no way that the smiling petite blond could be Jim's mother. There was absolutely no resemblance between mother and son.

If Jim had been adopted why hadn't he told him? Blair frowned. Maybe showing Blair the photographs was Jim's way of letting Blair know the truth.

The dining room table was elegantly set. Light glistened off of the Waterford crystal glassware. Instead of sitting and letting Sally serve William and Steve helped bring the pot roast to the table. To Blair's mind this wasn't high society behavior.

Dawn joined in helping carry a large serving bowl of vegetables. Sally took a place at the table like regular family.

"I suppose that you're all wondering why we have a vegetable garden," William directed his comments to Blair and Dawn. She smiled.

"Among other things," Blair said looking around the table. William and Steve were obviously father and son. Both men were tall and had leaner body frames than Jim. Father and second born son posses the same shape of faces and even the same shade of eye color. Their hands were elegant with long fingers. While Jim's short cropped hair was receding, both William and Steve possessed full heads of thick hair.

Sally cleared her throat, "Dinner prayer."

They all bowed their heads. Steve took Dawn's hand. He spoke quietly thanking the Lord. When Steve finished saying grace food was passed around the table.

Jim cleared his throat. "There will be plenty of pumpkins by the time Halloween comes around."

Blair looked up. He watched with interest as the Ellison men smiled and nodded.

Even Dawn looked curious. "Steve, you said that you would explain." Light reflected off of the perfect three caret diamond engagement ring on her hand. She passed a bowl of green beans and broccoli to Blair.

William nodded. "This is a story for family only. I seriously doubt that outsiders would believe it anyway. Sometimes I doubt it myself but I only have to look at Jimmy and know it is a true story."

Blair carefully pulled a small recorder out of his pocket. Only Jim was aware that it was on.

"A lot has happened in this family since that first Halloween." William gave his two sons warm looks.

Both sons nodded. Smiles moved over their faces. This was obviously their favorite story.

"We don't willingly share this story with outsiders." William looked from Dawn to Blair. "Dawn, you're going to be part of this family. As for Blair," he looked to Jim. "I've been told that you are a police observer and Jim's partner and that is the same as family."

()()()()()()()()()()()()

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

BIRGHTRIGHT-WARNING-

This chapter contains situations though non-explicit are meant for mature teens and adults. Still unpaid fan fiction.

()()()()()()()()()()()()

Love can walk through fire without blinking.

-Alan Jackson

BIRTHRIGHT—CHAPTER FOUR

Cascade-

"Mary Margaret and I had been married for three years," William's eyes softened as he thought of his first wife. "We'd tried to have a child for several years." His elegant fingers touched his crystal water glass. "Mary started fretting that she wouldn't be able to have a child."

Jim quietly ate as he listened. Blair watched Jim out of the corner of his eye. So far it didn't seem that hearing of his mother's difficulty in conceiving embarrassed him any. Across the table Steve held Dawn's hand.

"Mary went to one of those so-called psychics, charlatans I say," William frowned as if reliving the past. He inhaled giving Jim a slightly apologetic smile. "Needless to say that I was a bit surprised when Mary returned saying that the woman told her that if she wanted to ensure that a child be in our house we were to plant a vegetable garden." William seemed to relax in his chair as if the mention of the garden gave him more than a measure of comfort.

Quietly Sally got up and got everyone coffee.

"We planted the first garden not really knowing what we were doing." William paused to taste his coffee. "The psychic, Madam Christine, said that we were to make certain that our garden contain pumpkins." He chuckled. "I planted six rows of pumpkins."

Jim and Steve added their own soft chuckles. Blair found himself grinning. He could only imagine how many pumpkins that the family must have ended up with.

()()()()()()()()()

MIDDLEBURG 1700's

A restless seven year old Holly sat on her cushion at her beloved grandmother's feet. Holly struggled to keep her cross stitches straight and neat the way Granny Chase had showed her.

Granny Lily Chase smiled at the youngest surviving daughter of her late daughter. They'd lost Charity to diphtheria. Faith and Prudence followed their stepmother Patience helping with William and Benjamin. The family had come together as it should. Patience was an excellent mother loving the girls as if they were her own.

Contently Granny Lily studied Holly round little face. She'd kept Holly for her own. Holly had looked so much like Hope that she hadn't been able to bear letting the little girl come to think of Patience as a mother.

Holly's teeth worried her lower lip. Her unruly mass of auburn curls had worked their way free of her white cap again framing a face that held a look of deep concentration. The womanly art of stitching didn't come easily to a child that seemed to hum with energy.

"Everything is possible if we believe," Granny Lily said gently. She gave Holly an encouraging smile as she returned to her own stitching.

Holly looked up from her stitching. Embroidery was so difficult. Trying to sit still made it all the harder. She stretched her tired back. For the hundredth time she envied her male cousins. They got to learn to ride horses and shoot. Her father was already boasting that William and Benjamin would grow up to be the best shots in the whole county. It seemed so unfair. She let out an unhappy sigh.

There had to be more to life than endless hours of sewing, cooking and cleaning ahead of her. An odd thought occurred to her. "Grandmother Chase, what if we should wish to travel to the unborn tomorrow and see what wonders lie ahead?"

Lily Chase knew that she shouldn't encourage her favorite granddaughter's wild imagination. Still, little Holly was the kind of child who should be running and playing hard like her male cousins. She smiled at Holly's sweaty cherubim round face. "Child, I suspect that if you were to run outside and hop over one of those pumpkins that the wild Indians taught us to plant you'd see tomorrow."

Holly's bright blue eyes got big and round. "May I Grandmother?" Her whole body tensed with unspent energy.

"Set your embroidery in my basket." Granny Lily directed. "Come back inside when I call you."

The embroidery was tossed into the basket by the older woman's chair. Holly dashed to the cabin door. Her curly hair made a wild halo around her face. "I promise to come back!" Holly was eager to jump into the future. She was certain that none of the boys could jump into the future.

Smiling Granny Lily picked up Holly's cross stitch sampler. Adam was making noises about sending Holly back to England to learn to be a proper lady. She'd have none of that. It was bad enough that Hope had died birthing the son that Adam had wanted.

Adam hadn't liked the fact that Lily and her second husband Jeremiah had spoiled Holly. Lily sighed. Her second marriage had been a short one. Jeremiah had dotted on Holly the same way she had. Now he had joined Hope in heaven. Lily studied that crooked cross stitching. As long as she lived Holly would stay in Middleburg with her. Carefully she undid Holly's stitching replacing it with neat stitches of her own.

Granny Lily smiled. No doubt with Holly's fertile mind she'd come back with a tale to tell. The important thing was that the child burn off her excess energy.

Outside Holly had jumped over three of the largest pumpkins in the garden. She frowned as bees fled to a safer patch of garden. Her Granny Lily would never lie to her. Holly looked around. She spotted a very small but perfectly formed pumpkin at the very end of the row.

"Of course," she grinned broadly. Her Granny Lily always said that small things held magic. It was a secret she was never to share. Holly reached up to touch the small pewter charm she wore on a silver chain around her neck. Her small fingers traced over the pumpkin design.

Granny Lily had said that it had magic. The charm had been the last thing that her beloved Grandpa Jeremiah had made before he'd gone to heaven.

Holly took a deep breath. She gathered her ankle length skirt in both hands and ran towards the small waiting pumpkin. "FUTURE," she leaped over the pumpkin believing with all her heart that she was jumping into tomorrow.

()()()()()()()()()

Her pregnancy hadn't been going well. Mary Margaret Ellison sat in a white wicker garden chair near the garden William had planted. She smiled at the six crooked rows of pumpkins. They had so many pumpkins. Will wasn't a farmer. He'd refused to let the gardener help him plant. The gardener had walked around muttering something about loco gringos.

Mary let out a sigh. Her hands ran over her slightly swollen belly. She wanted this baby.

"FUTURE," a little girl's loud voice startled Mary. In disbelief Mary watched a strange little girl in a long dress leap out of nowhere at the end of one of the rows of pumpkins.

"Who are you?" She rose from her chair.

Holly's feet hit soft dirt. She gasped. She'd done it! There was a large mansion, trees and a garden. Only this garden looked more bountiful that the garden behind her Granny Lily's small cabin. She looked around spotting the woman standing by a white chair.

"My name is Holly." She stopped. The lady's hair was short. Sucking in a breath Holly realized that the woman's dress was short enough to reveal her bare legs. "I can see your legs." Holly looked quickly away. Her face flushed hot with embarrassment for the lady.

"Why are you dressed," Mary doubled over in pain letting out a sharp cry.

Holly turned quickly around at the cry of pain. She hurried to Mary's side. "Are you ill?" Up close she could see the small swell of Mary's abdomen. "Let's get you to bed."

"I can't lose this baby," Mary cried. She wrapped her arms around her body.

"You won't," Holly spoke firmly. Letting the adult rest some of her weight on her smaller frame Holly guided Mary into the house. Her eyes widened. This house was nothing like any of the houses back home.

A young Asian woman came running to assist Holly. "Please, we must get her to bed. She needs strong tea and pillows under her back to keep the baby." Holly ordered.

Sally assisted her employer's wife up the stairs to the master bedroom. Questions about the strange little girl would have to wait. Once they got Mary in bed with pillows under her Sally called the doctor and made some tea.

()()()()()()()()()

Present day Cascade

"Obviously Jim was born nine months later." Blair was itching to make notes on the little girl. He suspected that Madame Christine put the girl up to nearly scaring Jim's mother into premature labor.

"Actually," sadness came over William's face. "Little Will was stillborn."

Blair was surprised. "I assumed that she was carrying Jim."

"No," William said with a soft sigh. "Mary had to have an emergency hysterectomy. She wasn't able to have children after losing Will."

Dawn's eyes filled with tears. Steve noticed. He cleared his throat as he patted her hand. "You know, Dad, Holly's hair was the same color as Blair's."

"Wait," Blair looked from Steve to William. "How do you know Holly?"

"I met her when I was six," Steve smiled fondly. "She jumped into the garden scaring the dickens out of me."

"You screamed bloody murder." Jim interjected. His lips twitched in amusement. "I cleared the stairs in half a minute trying to reach the garden." He smiled at Dawn. "He screamed like a girl."

"How did you know it was the same girl?" Blair uncovered the micro recorder. "I mean it had been years before Holly came back."

"Actually, chief, she was still only seven. Dad recognized her right away." Jim said quietly. "We saw her again when we were teenagers. The last time I saw Holly was just before I went into the Army."

Steve nodded. "I saw Holly when Jim disappeared in Peru and again when he was found. We haven't seen her since."

Blair digested this information.

Jim's beeper went off. He looked at the number and sighed. "I have to call the station." Jim got up from the table.

"You never saw Holly as an adult?" Blair was feeling excited. The family had to be talking about a ghost. He had tests that he planned on conduction on the Ellison house grounds.

"I did see Holly once as an adult." William said slowly. "I don't think that she survived adulthood." He said softly. He looked down at his coffee. "Mary was recovering from losing our son."

()()()()()()()()()()()()

New England 1700's

"I don't know what to do Holly, Elizabeth wrapped her shawl tightly around her slender body. "Ethan will never understand nor will he forgive me." Fear and worried chased shadows across Elizabeth's oval face. Her plain black dress was a sharp contrast to her Cousin Holly's bright blue ruffled dress.

While Holly's long auburn curly hair was adorned with ivory combs that came from Spain Elizabeth's light brown hair was tucked under a plain white prayer cap.

"Then you shall come with me back to England, Dear Sweet Cousin." Holly said. Her large blue eyes studied her cousin's face. The past winter had been hard on Elizabeth. Her face was too thin with hallows in her cheeks. Holly hugged her older cousin. She was horrified at how thin she felt. "We shall leave tonight. In the morning we shall send a message to your young Captain Ellison. He shall take you back to England."

"Have you not forgotten, Sweet Cousin, that I am a married woman?" Elizabeth whispered.

"I have not forgotten that your father gave you to a Puritan to satisfy his debt with as much thought as if he were handing over a horse." Holly said indignantly. Elizabeth's father hadn't had the same sense her own father had of creating wealth. He'd become fond of liquor and ran up much debt. Elizabeth's two younger sisters had also been married off to satisfy debts. At least they'd done better in the bargain. They were happy with men who seemed to treasure that they'd gotten beautiful wives.

Sadly Holly looked around the cabin. In truth Elizabeth had tied to make the little sparely filled cabin homey.

Elizabeth's samplers hung on the cabin walls. It pained Holly that once Elizabeth's samplers had been filled with joyful flowers and cheery sayings. All the samples in the cabin were plain and contained Bible verses. "I shall not have you grow old before your time with a man that is as cruel and unforgiving as Ethan Long."

Paling Elizabeth shook her head. "What of my father? Ethan will see to it that he spends his last years in debtor prison." She swallowed her tears. "I won't tell him. I shall be a dutiful wife."

"Oh, Cousin," Holly slammed her hand on the wooden kitchen table. "You forgot to be a dutiful wife when you bedded your Captain Luke Ellison. Now you carry his child." Holly shook her head. Her curls threatened to break free of her ivory Spanish combs. "Ethan will know when the child is born that it isn't his."

Elizabeth bowed her head. She looked up after a few silent minutes. Her drawn face seemed weary and older. "You must promise me, Sweet Cousin that you shall not speak of this to anyone."

"But, Cousin," Holly protested.

"No, Cousin," Elizabeth rose with dignity. "You shall keep a civil tongue in your head. Ethan Long is my husband. I shall honor him and our marriage."

"But, Cousin," Holly cried out.

"My Goodwife has spoken." Both women turned at the sound of the male voice.

Ethan Long stood in the open doorway of the cabin.

Elizabeth paled.

A very slight smile softened Ethan Long's stern features. "Goodwife, I smelled your delicious stew as I came up the path." He took off his cloak and hung it on a peg by the door. "I am pleased that you defend me, Goodwife."

Elizabeth came forward to her stand in front of her husband. "Come wash up, Good husband," she said respectfully. "Dinner is ready," she'd made her choice. The memory of Luke Ellison would be locked in her heart. She'd be Ethan Long's dutiful wife.

Holly sighed. If she opened her mouth about Elizabeth's affair Ethan would drag Elizabeth to the elders of his church. She'd be branded a harlot. She couldn't let her beloved cousin suffer. Holly straightened her shoulders. "I'll help set the table unless Ethan would rather I leave." Holly spoke demurely.

"As long as you know, Good Cousin," Ethan stared sternly at Holly. "Under my roof my word is law."

It took all that was in Holly not to run up and slap Ethan's smug face. She bowed her head slightly. "Of course, Good Cousin," she'd learned how to speak in a respectful manner even when she felt no respect.

Ethan was of course served first. Holly helped Elizabeth clean up the when dinner was finished. Elizabeth and Holly sat near a lantern in front of the wood stove working on samples until Ethan announced it was time for bed. Holly retired to a small bedroom.

Numbly Elizabeth went to her and Ethan's bedroom she slipped out of her dress. She changed into a soft worn nightgown. Ethan waited until she was in bed before he claimed his marital rights.

Pulling up her nightgown Ethan shove his way between her legs. Elizabeth thought of how Luke had kissed her and touched her. Ethan made no move to touch her other than to shove in and out. It hurt. When he was finished he rolled off of her to face his side of the room. He seemed to curl into a tight ball.

Elizabeth looked up at the ceiling. This would be her future. She bit her lip. "God," she whispered, "told Abraham that he would father a nation with Sarah."

In the dark Ethan grunted. He rolled over Elizabeth again. "Sons," he whispered. "I'll have sons." This time it didn't hurt as much.

The next morning Elizabeth woke up Holly. She brought her water from the well to wash up with. "Ethan isn't a skilled lover but he'll think that the child is his." She whispered.

Holly had a bad feeling but said nothing. She would stay in Middleburg until the baby was born. She had a feeling that the child would need her.

()()()()()()()

New Leesburg-nine months later

Expertly Holly tied off the umbilical cord. There was too much blood on the baby. "You have a fine son." Holly looked from the baby to her beloved cousin. The new baby cried and sucked his fist. "Look. He's hungry all ready."

Elizabeth's eyes were dull. She'd spent all day birthing her new son. "Holly, I am so tired." She closed her eyes.

"Mistress, she is still bleeding." Faith the midwife apprentice pointed out the fresh blood running from the birth channel.

Alarmed Holly looked down. Too much blood followed the afterbirth. Her heart leaped to her throat. Her mother had bled to death birthing her brother. "Faith," Holly whispered sharply. "Get my sewing kit." She quickly wrapped the still unnamed baby in a clean blanket. "I shall not let you die, Sweet Cousin." Holly set the baby in a woven basket by the bed where Elizabeth could see him.

"Damned Ethan for being you here away from a good doctor," Holly swore. She'd gone from being a lady who enjoyed parties to hard working midwife to keep an eye on her cousin. Now she feared that her nine months of training wasn't going to safe Elizabeth.

"You must not blame him."Elizabeth whispered. "Ethan has much pride. He was deeply hurt as Luke would search me out with his eyes when he returned from his patrols. People were starting to talk. Ethan was going to have to turn me in as an adulterous. He felt it was better if we had a fresh start here." She smiled tiredly.

"Take my baby, Sweet Holly. I'll tell Ethan it died. Things will be better between us." She smiled tiredly.

There was a commotion at the door. Faith ran to the door. Holly heard a male voice.

"Mistress," a frightened Faith ran back. "Soldiers are at the door."

Holly hurried to the door. "Have you no decency? I have a woman birthing."

The tall soldier in the scarlet coat of His King's Army shot a worried look into the cabin. "Ma'am, there are wild Indians headed this way. It's not safe. We are evacuating every settler. We'll carry the mother out but we must leave. The savages will kill infants and any woman that can't travel. They're after breeding stock."

Paling Holly blurted out, "she's bleeding."

"We have a doctor with us." The soldier called for the doctor.

Holly went back to check on Elizabeth. Her cousin's face was pale. The blood flow hadn't slowed. Elizabeth's precious lifeblood was dripping onto the wooden floor.

"We should have gone back to England your father be damned." Holly grabbed her sewing kit. She meant to stitch up the birthing wounds.

Elizabeth drew in a breath. "I hear Grandmother Chase calling me." She let out her breath. Her chest didn't rise again. Her eyes seemed to be staring sightlessly up.

"No," Holly cried. A sob rose in her throat.

"She's gone said a voice.

Holly turned to face a man her own height. Sympathetic blue eyes regarded her. "I am Doctor Jacob Sandburg. There is nothing we can do for the mother. We must burn the cabin and take the baby to safety. "

"No," Holly glared at the young doctor.

"She is pretty and still warm." Dr. Sandburg pointed out. "We don't want to leave her for the savages."

Holly's hand flew to her mouth. She stumbled to the baby and lifted him out of the basket. Holding him tightly she let herself be herded out of the cabin.

The sound of Indian war whoops and muskets told them they hadn't left soon enough.

"Run," Dr. Sandburg grabbed an offered musket. "I shall give you both a chance to escape." He put himself between the fleeing women and the attacking Indians.

Holly and Faith ran. Unhampered by a baby Faith lifted her ankle length skirt and ran for her life. Holly darted towards the garden that Elizabeth had planted. "Please, God," she prayed. "You let me travel to the future when I was a child. Let this happen now." She ran for a row of small pumpkins.

There were screams and musket fire coming from the cluster of cabins that made up Leesburg. Fire danced from the cabin Holly had fled. One of the braves spotted Holly. He altered his course to intercept her. Dr. Sandburg spotted the brave. He stuffed a musket ball into the musket. He grabbed the powder horn. Dr. Sandburg poured powder into the musket. The brave raised his hatchet screaming wildly.

"Future," Holly leaped over the small perfectly formed pumpkin. Late afternoon was sudden a rainy night. She stumbled as her shoes hit muddy ground.

"Who is there?" William stood at the open door of the house. Light spilled into the garden.

"William," Holly cried out. She managed to keep herself upright. She clutched Elizabeth's baby in her arms. He cried wailed in her arms. Cold rain caused Holly's curly hair to frizz. She shivered as the rain soaked her dress.

"A baby," William hurried out to help Holly. He took the baby and guided Holly into the house. "You're Holly all grown up."

"Yes," Holly gasped.

Mary came into the kitchen followed by Sally.

"Please take care of my Cousin Elizabeth's baby. She died birthing him. Her husband Ethan Long won't take him once he finds out she died. Elizabeth had an affair with Captain Luke Ellison. This is his baby." She paused to suck in a breath. "I must go back. The good doctor is risking his life to save me from the Indians. I must go back to help him."

Mary took the crying baby from William. She cradled him in her arms. She marveled at how he stopped crying once she held him. "Wait. Stay with us Holly."

Shaking her head Holly said. "I must go back. My place is back there." She smiled sadly at the baby in Mary's arms. "Elizabeth wanted to name him James. She fancied that name." Holly thought suddenly of the boy that she'd met over several trips into the future. It made sense now. Jimmy was Elizabeth's James. Jimmy would have a long and happy life. Some of her grief eased.

"Take this with you," Sally held out an antique looking silver knife. Sally knew enough not to give Holly anything that would be out of place in the past.

"Thank you," Holly took the knife. She paused and removed her necklace. She held it out to Mary who took the offered necklace. "This is for your baby. My step grandfather Jeremiah Stone made this pumpkin charm before he died." She smiled. "I must go." Holly hurried out the door. They all stood in the doorway not knowing what to think.

Holly ran for the pumpkins. "Home," she shouted. Holly vanished as she leaped over a small perfectly formed pumpkin.

()()()()()()()()()()()

Cascade

"You never told me that Holly was escaping Indians." Steve frowned. "A lot of settlers were massacred in the early 1700's."

"Dad told me." Jim had returned from making his call. "It's too bad that we don't know what happened to Holly Chase."

Blair blinked. "If this story is true then that means that Jim is actually from the seventeenth century." He looked around the table wondering briefly if the family was in on some practical joke.

"When we come back tomorrow Dad can show you the portrait of Captain Luke Ellison." Jim smiled at his father. "Dad had his people track down Captain Luke Ellison's history. He resigned his commission in the English Army to fight on the side of the colonists during the War of Independence." There was a great deal of pride in Jim's voice.

"Jimmy, can't you stay for cake?" Sally asked.

"I'm sorry but that was Joel. A man we arrested earlier wants to give us or rather me some information on drug shipments. I have to go back to the station." He sighed. "I'll be back tomorrow."

"Will you still marry me," Steve held Dawn's hand.

"Are you kidding?" Dawn leaned over and kissed Steve. "You promised me magic and romance. You've given me both."

William walked Jim and Blair to the door. "You have to come back tomorrow. I've kept the necklace for you, Jimmy. I think that it's time for you to have it."

Blair was bouncing with energy. "You could have the necklace tested."

"No, chief," Jim shook his head. "I don't want the magic spoiled."

()()()()()()()()()()

By the time that they'd returned to the loft it was late. Jim went up to his bed. Blair was too full of energy to sleep. He turned on his computer. He went onto the Internet. With the information he had he found New Leesburg. It was recorded as having been destroyed in an Indian uprising. He found the online records for Middleburg at the site for researchers.

The names of Captain Luke Ellison and Ethan Long were listed as having lived in Middleburg. Captain Ellison was listed first as a soldier in the service of King George of England and then as a soldier of the American colonies. He married a Chastity Warring. Captain Ellison was survived at his death by nine children and fourteen grandchildren.

Ethan long was listed as having two wives. His first wife, Elizabeth Jones Long and infant son were believed to have been killed in New Leesburg. Ethan Long took a second wife, Prudence Morgan to Canada with other families loyal to the king during the Revolutionary War.

Holly Chase wasn't listed as a resident of Middleburg. Blair frowned. He remembered that William had mentioned that Holly had once told him that she was supposed to go back to England. He entered her name and England in the site's search area. It took a minute but information came up. "Holly Chase, midwife and wife of," Blair's mouth dropped open. "No way," he whispered.

()()()()()()

Epilogue

Holly jumped back from the rain into the late afternoon. Dr. Sandburg was desperately loading his musket. The advancing brave's eyes had gone wide when Holly had disappeared. Now he stumbled back as he saw the white woman leap back from the unknown. Her clothes and hair were wet as if she'd run through a rain storm. This was magic.

Dr. Sandburg raised the now loaded musket. He fired. The musket ball tore through the brave's chest. He fell backwards.

Holly reached the doctor she grabbed his arm. "Come on," she pulled him towards the garden. They both ran. The soldiers were busy firing at the attacking Indians. More braves poured out of the forest. Holly and the doctor reached the garden. "Hold my hand," she spotted a perfectly formed small pumpkin.

"Jump, as they feet cleared the pumpkins she shouted, "Safe place." They vanished.

Three years later Dr. Sandburg and his wife Holly arrived in Middleburg. Holly's family disowned her for marrying Dr. Sandburg. After the war they moved to Philadelphia. Holly had the silver knife Sally had given her melted down. A talented silversmith designed the silver into several tiny pumpkins with enough to form two unique bracelets.

One pumpkin bracelet would grave the arm of every eldest daughter in each generation through various name changes. It would travel to Europe and back to America. It would almost be lost in the Second World War. It would come back to America where it would finally grace the slender arm of Dr. Gabrielle Curry.

The second bracelet would be passed to the first born male Sandburg in each generation. It would end u finally in a safety deposit box with a journal and several letters addressed to, "My unborn son, Blair."

It would be early in October when Naomi Sandburg was meditating that she decided it was time to tell her son about his father.

()()()()

THE END


End file.
